Thursday, 6 September 2012

Thankful Thursday

Last week I suggested a theme to my Thursday Blog - Thankful Thursdays. I think I'm going to make that suggestion an official decree. Henceforth every Thursday will be Thankful Thursday. Too easy!

The hard part is deciding on just one thing to be thankful for. Seriously. Since I woke this morning I've been running through the list of things I've got in my life to be thankful for. It is a long list. I'm thankful for having so much to be thankful for. That is not specific enough though. In the end the decision made was based purely on that without this I wouldn't be here and be the person I am. I'm most thankful today for my Parents.

The hardest part of living in a different country from your family is exactly that: you're living in a different country from your family. My parents have 4 children and none of us live in the same country as them. They live in the home we grew up in, back in Benoni, South Africa. My two brothers both now live in London and my sister lives in Yorkshire. This is quite a common scenario for families in South Africa. I can relate when Johnny Clegg sings about the 'Scatterlings of Africa'.

I miss these two people every day and I know they miss all of us. I know both would love it if we all lived down the road. Yet not once have either of them made us feel bad about leaving. It is part of what makes my parents so awesome. They encourage us to have adventures, to strive for greatness, to be happy in our daily lives and have instilled in all of us a strong sense that we are loved unconditionally. Quite simply they rock. Both are selfless, kind hearted, salt of the earth good people and I love, admire and respect them.

You don't get to choose your family but I'm grateful on this Thankful Thursday, most especially, that I got these two smiling, happy people for mine.